Thank You Very Much

by Mike McGranaghan

While watching the documentary Thank You Very Much, I kept wondering how – or even if – Andy Kaufman’s style of comedy would play in today’s world. The internet and social media have made people savvier and more cynical about everything, especially entertainment. What would Kaufman have to do to fool us? How far would he have to go? Would it even be possible?

The film provides a thorough recapping of the comedian’s career. It’s all here: the debut on Saturday Night Live, the success of Taxi, his abrasive alter ego Tony Clifton, the wrestling women put-on, reading The Great Gatsby onstage, and more. Also included is the continuing mystery of whether Kaufman really died or simply faked it to pull off the ultimate prank. Fans will already know this stuff, although it’s always fun to see that footage again. Younger viewers who weren’t there at the time may have their minds blown at what he pulled off.

What distinguishes Thank You Very Much is that it attempts to analyze Kaufman’s often deliberately off-putting humor. Friends and coworkers like Danny DeVito and Marilu Henner appear on camera to offer insight into his unique mind, as do admirers such as Steve Martin. Also present are former girlfriend Lynne Margulies and Bob Zmuda, Kaufman’s longtime co-conspirator, who pinpoints an early episode from his pal’s childhood that may hold the key to explaining his obsession with deception.

It’s unlikely a completely clear portrait will ever emerge; Kaufman wouldn’t have wanted it to, and there’s always the possibility that Zmuda is fudging things in the name of carrying on the tradition. Nevertheless, the film undoubtedly provides tantalizing theories and anecdotes that build your appreciation for the madness Kaufman fostered. If the man sometimes seemed determined to wreck his own career, doing so may have fulfilled a need within his personal psychology.

Of course, there are those who will say that analysis is the death of comedy. Maybe that’s true in a lot of cases. Andy Kaufman’s construction of gags seems to invite analysis, though. Nothing about it was surface level. There was always a need to dig deeper to get what the joke was really about. Thank You Very Much is therefore an essential documentary that illustrates why Kaufman was a true legend.

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